Not Alone
by neutronstarcollision
Summary: "There was no strong, confident and sarcastic Damon left only a vulnerable, scared and helpless one left in his place."   Loosely based off of 'As I Lay Dying, 2x22' Slash.


**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries but I know that the boys do own me.**

**I think this'll be just a one-shot. Seems like it is to me. It's also a slash, with no sex (sorry porn with plot lovers!) It's a song-fic to the song 'Not Alone' but Darren Criss.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>I've been alone<br>Surrounded by darkness  
>I've seen how heartless<br>The world can be**_

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_Stefan approached Damon from behind. The little gathering of people who were here to say their final goodbyes to Jenna and John were getting ready to leave but Damon was standing far off away from the funeral staring down past the other graves. Stefan knew there was something wrong with his brother but he thought it was one of his usual mood swings. _

"_We're gonna' head back to the house." Stefan came to a stop behind him with his hands buried in his pockets._

"_I think I'll skip the coffee and tea-cakes." Damon's voice monotone._

_Stefan was slightly annoyed at the fact that his brother seemed so uncaring on this particular day "Damon, she needs us right now." He stood staring at the back of Damon's head "All of us."_

_Damon ignored his brothers words and slightly turned his head in Stefan's direction "I mean, what's the plan, Stefan?" Damon's tongue came out from between his lips to wet his drying sore lips. "The curse is broken." Damon's eyes scanned the horizon where the sun was setting "How does one go about killing an all powerful wolf vamp... and his two faced older brother?" _

_Stefan sighed quickly before replying with "I have no idea."_

_Damon then turned to his brother his eyes slightly wide with brief panic "We need to get an idea. Fast."_

"_I'm not gonna' let Elena lose anybody else." Stefan stated defiantly_

_Damon's brows slightly furrowed "I wouldn't make any promises, brother." As his hand went to roll up the sleeve of his shirt and blazer_

_Then Stefan's brows furrowed in confusion "What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_Tyler Lockwood bit me." Damon looked down at the angry red mark which looked similar to a burn that was spreading down his arm. _

_Stefan's brows still furrowed as he looked at the bite with disbelief. He hedged forward as shock filled his body._

"_It's actually more of a nip really but-" He dragged in a long breath through his teeth as his brother stepped closer "there it is."_

_Stefan held Damon's arm gently as he stared at the mark in shock as he watched the red mark fade and darken like a pulse as it slowly made it's way down Damon's arm. To a human eye; the movement of the mark wouldn't be seen at all but to the vampire's eye sight it was clear enough to see that the bite was getting worse. Damon huffed out a breathe as emotions filtered through him. His brother looked up to him trying to catch his eyes but Damon wouldn't- couldn't look at him until collected his emotions. _

_Stefan looked back and fore between the bite and his brother's face at loss of words but he needed to say something. "We'll uh, we'll find something." Stefan said softly; unable to make his voice carry louder. His eyes filling with tears slightly as he kept glancing between his brother's arm and face "A cure."_

"_There is no cure, Stefan." He said looking into his brothers eyes. _

_Damon turned to look back at the collection of people who were standing holding each other or talking to each other. Stefan followed Damon's gaze towards Jeremy, Elena and Alaric. What Stefan didn't know was that Damon wasn't looking at Elena nor Jeremy. He was looking at Alaric; the man he had kept secret for over four months now and the man who had won his heart. The man who he was scared to lose only when he just realized his feelings._

"_We kept Elena human, right?" Stefan said staring at his brother "We found a way when there was no way." Stefan nudged Damon's other arm "Hey." _

_Damon dragged his gaze from Alaric to look back at his brother's open face that was filled with shock, worry and pain. They searched each others eyes or a moment_

"_I will do this." Stefan's voice was barely above a broken whisper _

"_You want to do something for me?" Damon asked; he'd given up hope that he would survive "Keep this from-" He stopped himself before saying Alaric "Them." He nudged his head towards the group of people. "Last thing they need to know is another grave to mourn."_

_Damon lifted his hand to his brothers bicep and squeezed tightly as he stared at his brother's face which stared back just the same but with even more pain and his eyes filled with tears. Damon nodded once at his brother and let go of his arm. Turning away he headed in the other direction from the group of people and down the middle of the graves. Stefan stared after his brothers retreating form. His eyes stinging with fresh tears, his lips slightly parted as he tried to control his pain for the fact that he might lose his brother if he doesn't find a cure._

**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0**

**I've seen you crying  
>You felt like it's hopeless<br>I'll always do my best  
>To make you see<strong>

**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0**

The bar maid was holding an half empty bottle of bourbon pouring it into a shot glass. As she began to pull it away Alaric grabbed onto the neck of the bottle. She gave him a look that said give-the-damn-bottle-back-now but he lifted a finger to his lips to indicate 'Shh'. She shook her head and let go of the bottle as Alaric's cellphone began to ring. He pushed himself up off of the bar with a roll of his eyes. The playful mood with the bar maid gone back to his mournful sour state. Digging his cell out of his pocket he looked at the flashing name titled on the screen _Stefan. _He walked away from the bar with a heavy sigh and bottle in hand; with a heavy sigh he answered.

"Sorry you've reached someone who's... currently not operating." Alaric used as his greeting

"I need your help." Stefan voice had an edge of panic to it

"I think you've confused me with somebody else; See, I'm not allowed to help, just idly sit by as my girlfriend get sacrificed on an alter of blood." Alaric raised the bottle to his lips to drink away his pain.

"Damon's dying."

Alaric immediately lowered the bottle as the words hit him "Tyler Lockwood bit him. We don't have much time." The pain and fear was evident in Stefan's voice.

Alaric shook his head as he tried to fight back the tears that began to fill his eyes "What do you need?"

* * *

><p>Alaric was usually all for abiding the rules of law; apart from when he was working with vampires instead of against them. He half drunkenly ran to his car and threw himself into the drivers seat. He had lost Jenna already; a woman who he cared for so much and that he wanted to love but couldn't. Half of his pain for her loss was due to the fact that he had cheated on her; so many times and had never had the balls to tell her the truth. He started the ignition and backed out of his space. The bottle of bourbon was left sitting on the bar. He rapidly drove through the streets at a speed that wouldn't be safe since he's been drinking already. Pulling to a stop outside the Boarding House. Stefan had told him that he was in the basement; the same room they had used to keep Elijah. He entered the house and headed straight for the door that took him to the basement and clumsily ran down the stairs. Alaric's ears filled with a harsh wet coughing and the sound as if Damon were spitting something up. Alaric slowly approached the door. Fearing what he would see behind those iron bars. Lying on the ground; hand near his mouth covered in some dark liquid was Damon.<p>

"How did you find out?" Damon's hoarse voice carried towards Alaric.

"Stefan." Alaric answered whilst pulling the lock away from the door.

"Of course. Saint Stefan to the rescue." Damon replied sarcastically.

"Come on." Alaric reached to pick up Damon; wrapping his arm around Damon's waist and pulling Damon's arm over his shoulder "Let's get you out of here."

"Where are we going?"

**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0****

**Baby, you're not alone  
>Cause you're here with me<br>And nothing's ever gonna bring us down  
>Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you<br>And you know it's true  
>It don't matter what'll come to be<br>Our love is all we need to make it through**

****0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0**-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0****  
><strong>

"_Everywhere!" Katherine cried as she ran in front of Damon._

"_Wait for me, I want to come with you!" Damon called after her_

_She ran so perfectly in the night and Damon wished to keep up with her but even with the blazing torch in hand his feet kept tripping over the roots of the trees as he ran to keep up her. His foot caught again as he fell forward, catching himself before he landed on the ground. He looked up as Katherine stopped and turned towards him. _

**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0**

**Now I know it ain't easy  
>But it ain't hard trying<br>Every time I see you smiling  
>And I feel you so close to me<br>And you tell me**

****0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0****

Alaric caught Damon as he fell forward; a large gasp leaving his body with the sound '_Oomph_' His body was tense and his eyes were distant as if he weren't really there

"Hey, relax. It's okay. I got you."

Damon looked up into Alaric's eyes. Alaric then knew Damon wasn't seeing Alaric. He had heard about Rose and how she started to hallucinate when she was bitten by Jules. In seconds Alaric's back slammed into the cold brick wall behind him.

**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0****

**Baby, you're not alone  
>Cause you're here with me<br>And nothing's ever gonna bring us down  
>Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you<br>And you know it's true  
>It don't matter what'll come to be<br>Our love is all we need to make it through**

****0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0**-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0****  
><strong>

"_You're faster than I thought." Katherine replied in a breathless tone but it wasn't from the run._

"_Why must you always run from me?" Damon panted who of course was breathless from running._

"_Because I know you will chase." She replied with a small grin on her lips._

_Damon's eyes searched Katherine's "Then let me chase you forever." He took in a well needed breath before continuing "Feed me your blood." Damon was gasping in mouthfuls of air to get his breathing and heart-rate back to it's normal pace._

"_I will not feed you, Damon." Katherine replied whilst lifting her hand up; she removed a hair clip and pulled it away from her lovely curled hair. "If you want it-" She let the sharp edge of the clip stick into her throat as she dragged in downwards; the blood already beginning to dribble down her neck "Take it." She watched Damon as he stared at the cut "It is your choice to make."_

****0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0****

**I still have trouble  
>I trip and stumble<br>Trying to make sense of things sometimes  
>I look for reasons<br>But I don't need 'em  
>All I need is to look in your eyes<br>And I realize**

****0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0**  
><strong>

"I chose you, Katherine." Damon spoke out shortly after Alaric was pinned to the wall.

"Hey, Damon. Look at me. It's Alaric." Damon lifted his head from staring at Alaric's throat; his eyes wide wide fear and panic "It's okay."

"Promise me-"

"_You will not tell my brother?"_

"_I promise." Katherine replied while she held his eyes "It will be our little secret."_

_Damon lowered his mouth down to the wound that was flowing blood-_

****0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0******

**Baby I'm not alone  
>Cause you're here with me<br>And nothing's ever gonna take us down  
>Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you<br>And you know it's true  
>It don't matter what'll come to be<br>Our love is all we need to make it through, ooh**

****0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0**-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0******

"No, Damon. Stop it, Damon. It's me." Alaric growled out whilst trying to push the vampire away that was trying to reach his neck.

"I have to." Damon replied softly and slightly out of breathe. "If we are to be together forever."

"No you don't. Stop it, Damon."

Alaric's struggle was useless as Damon's mouth latched onto Alaric's neck and the brushing of Damon's fangs then the piercing. Damon once told him that the pain of being unwillingly bitten was nearly unbearable and it was true. The bite was painful as he struggled.

"Damon, stop!" Alaric shouted out. "Please, stop it." Alaric groaned out through the pain.

Damon's mouth left Alaric's throat. His eyes filled with shock, disbelief and so much pain as he searched Alaric's eyes. "Alaric."

He couldn't believe what he had just done; Damon fell to his knees in front of Alaric. Damon's eyes trained on Alaric's shoes. Alaric fell to his own knees; the look on Damon's face; so broken caused Alaric's chest to tighten painfully. One hand clutched at his still bleeding throat as he pulled Damon to his body.

"Help me." Damon gasped out.

There was no strong, confident and sarcastic Damon left only a vulnerable, scared and helpless one left in his place.

"I got you. It's okay. Come on." Alaric pulled the vampire up.

Alaric found himself fighting against tears as he wrapped his arm around Damon's waist again and the feeling of Damon holding on just as tightly to Alaric. He pulled him up the stairs and then up another set; down the hallway to Damon's bedroom.

"Come on, let's get you into bed." Alaric pulled Damon over to the bed and gently lay him down on it.

Sweat covered Damon's body as his clothes sticking to to his skin began to darken with wet patches on the clothing. Alaric pulled Damon's shoes off along with his socks. "Stay here. I'm going to get a cloth to clean you up." Alaric gently brushed the hair sticking to Damon's forehead off which received a small smile from Damon.

Alaric quickly ran to the en suite and grabbed a few cloths and ran them under the cold water. Sitting next to the sink was a wooden bowl that held soaps and shampoo's. Alaric tipped it up side down letting the contents fall onto the cabinet and filled the bowl with water. He brought the cloths and bowl of water back through to Damon. He placed them on the bed side cabinet and grabbed a cloth. Alaric crouched next to Damon and dabbed the cool cloth against Damon's fiery skin.

"That feels good." Damon let out with a content groan.

"Good." Alaric smiled softly as Damon turned his face towards Alaric.

"Thank-you, Alaric." Damon's hand reached out for Alaric's spare hand to which Alaric grabbed and held on tightly.

"That's what people do when others get sick."

"You make it sound like I have the flu." Damon laughed which turned into a cough.

Alaric grabbed at Damon who sat up coughing a wet sound until he spit out what he had seen down in the basement. Blood. He was coughing blood. Alaric fought against his emotions as to not panic.

A bleak groan left Damon "This isn't good."

Alaric swallowed thickly and picked the cloth back up and and wiped the blood from Damon's hands then wiped around his mouth. Damon shuffled across the bed until he was lying in the middle of the large bed.

"Lie with me?" Damon asked weakly.

"Okay" Alaric replied as he carefully climbed onto the bed.

Damon cried out; his face twisting in pain as he turned in on himself as he gripped his chest. Alaric held Damon tightly to his body; willing the pain to leave Damon's body.

"Hey, it's okay. Shh, it's okay."

"No, it's not okay, it's not okay." Damon replied quietly; breathless from the pain "All those years I blamed Stefan" Damon was panting for air "but no-one forced me to love her, It was my own choice. I made the wrong choice." His voice was heavy with pain "Tell Stefan I'm sorry."

"Tell him yourself when he comes back with the cure."

"Please. Please tell him." Damon asked, his eyes wide with panic.

"I'll tell him." Alaric nodded softly as his eyes filled with tears again.

They were silent for a long moment. The only sounds were Damon's heavy breathing and his groans of pain; the sweat on Damon's face began to build up again and Alaric rolled softly to grab a clean cloth. He gently dabbed at Damon's sweaty face; a small smile on Damon's lips as his eyes flickered open to look up at Alaric's face. Alaric put the cloth down once he was done and settled back into holding Damon but at an angle they were looking into each others eyes.

"God." Damon breathed out as one hand landed gently on Alaric's cheek "I love you so much." He whispered to Alaric.

Alaric's heart leaped at the sound of the words he never thought Damon would ever say to him. Alaric leaned in close as he pressed a kiss to Damon's lips. Damon kissed him back as roughly and passionately as he could before pulling back.

"I love you." Alaric replied with another chaste kiss "So much."

A heavy knock sounded on the door and then it opened to reveal Stefan standing there with a shocked expression as he stared at Alaric and Damon holding onto one another. Alaric gently wriggled out of Damon's grip to sit up.

"I didn't know you two were..." Stefan glanced between them both.

"I know." Alaric nodded, looking down at Damon as he brushed the hair from his sticky forehead again.

"I heard what you two said..." Stefan edged forward. "I heard what he said too... about being sorry and his wrong choice with Katherine."

"He's not what most people see him as." Alaric replied "He's not some cold hearted monster he loves to be seen as."

Stefan nodded "Please take good care of him. He's been hurt so much."

"Stefan, I'm not going to hurt him. Think of our history; this would have to be real for me to be here and you know it."

"I know." Stefan came over and handed a bottle over to Alaric.

"What's this?" It looked like blood in a tiny glass bottle.

"Blood. Klaus' blood."

"What's that gonna'-"

"It's the cure." Stefan interrupted.

"How do you know it's going to work?"

"He tried it on Katherine right in front of me."

"What did you have to do for it?"

"He gave it to me as a thank-you for releasing the curse that was put on him and that he'll forget about the whole trying to kill him thing."

"Do you really believe that?" Alaric asked because he sure didn't.

"No." Stefan shook his head "We have to be ready again just in case."

Alaric pulled the cork from the top of the bottle and lifted Damon's head up. Pushing the bottle to Damon's lips. He tipped it up and poured the blood into Damon's mouth. He left nearly half of the blood and placed the bottle on the bed side cabinet.

"Just in case any of you get bitten." Alaric stated

"Good idea." Stefan smiled and sat on the end of the bed "Check his arm."

Alaric rolled up the sleeve to see the angry red bite mark disappearing. Alaric's eyes shot to Stefan's; wide-eyed with shock. Stefan smiled back at him. Stefan turned his head slightly as if he were hearing something.

"That's Elena. I'll be back soon." Stefan stood and left the room in a flash.

Damon bolted upwards. His eyes wide with panic and shock. He looked down at his arm; the bite mark completely disappeared. His brows furrowing in confusion.

"What happened?" Damon asked, turning to Alaric.

"We got a cure." Alaric said; slipping off the bed.

He didn't know if Damon would remember the shared "I love you's" and he didn't want to make a fool out of himself. Damon's hand grabbed at Alaric's wrist and pulled him back to him.

"Thank-you." Damon smiled; an honest smile.

"No problem." Alaric replied.

"I love you." Damon softly whispered as he kissed Alaric softly

"I know." Alaric replied pulling Damon's face closer to catch his lips and kiss him passionately.

"I love you, too."

**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-**0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0****

**Cause you're here with me  
>And nothing's ever gonna bring us down<br>Cause nothing, nothing, nothing can keep me from lovin' you  
>And you know it's true<br>It don't matter what'll come to be  
>You know our love is all we need<br>Our love is all we need to make it through.**


End file.
